Resources - Studying and Stress Management
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This page contains relevant information and resources for students concerned about stress and managing their study time.
Stress is your response (physical and mental) to prolonged or severe demands that you have to meet.
Signs of stress include:
- Feeling upset, anxious, or tense often
- Feeling hostile or angry for no real reason
- Feeling tired, fatigued, exhausted
- Difficulty sleeping
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering things, making decisions
- Physical symptoms like an upset stomach, rashes, tension headaches
A common source of stress is not feeling sufficiently in control of important aspects of your life. Students are vulnerable to stress because their world includes many things that they have no real control over: classes that have to be attended, assignments with deadlines, exams.
Ways of Keeping Stress Manageable
Take control of as much of your life as you can. Manage your time effectively. Check out the Time Management resources and put these to use.
- Keep a balance in life: attend classes, work on assignments, work at your job, but make time for family, exercise, friends, and recreation.
- Schedule breaks and “time-outs” so you can recover from periods of high pressure in your studies.
- Check out opportunities on campus (or elsewhere) for exercise, Yoga, meditation, relaxation classes and programs. Choose what seems best for you and try it out.
What you can do when stress looks like being a problem
- Identify the source. Make a list of the kinds of tasks you are dealing with. Has something new and unexpected blown up? Look at each in turn: how important is it in your life really? Can it be put on hold for a while? Can it be dropped?
- Bring in additional help. If you have identified tasks that have to be done but they are especially difficult, can you get extra help? See your Tutor or Course Coordinator if you think an extension of time would help. Ask a trusted student friend how she/he is managing the task in question. If you are having problems with an issue like English or Mathematics contact the Access Department, the Counselling Service on your campus can put you in touch.
- Use additional support services. Check the Student Services Home Page for the list of support services available. Can any of these make your life easier?
- Make an appointment to see a Counsellor on your campus. The Counsellor can give you one-on-one help to identify sources of stress, explore options for managing these, and put into action effective ways of stressing less.
Some stress can be quite normal and even beneficial in terms of motivation, however when it gets too great, it can be hard to concentrate on study at all. As your fellow students are usually in a similar situation, it can also be helpful to talk to your class-mates and friends to find out how they deal with the stress. The best solution to stress, however, is usually better time management and early preparation to avoid that last minute panic.
The resources below can help you improve your time management so as to minimise future stress.
Swinburne University Services and Resources
- Swin-eCounselling Workshops and Community Programs Information - Information on helpful workshops and community programs offered at Swinburne. See especially Academic Success Program.
- Student Development and Counselling - For one-on-one counselling to help you overcome any psychological or emotional difficulties you may be experiencing that are affecting your studies.
Other Stress Management Services and Resources
- Virtual Pamphlet Collection - A collection of virtual pamphlets on many common student difficulties, including various mental health conditions as well as study tip sheets. Collated by the University of Chicago.